The Parting Glass
by Sonata18
Summary: What if Beth's fate was different in the season 5 MSF? This is my take on how the rescue mission could have gone and how she and Daryl reconnect after. Mainly following Daryl and Beth, but others from the group will interact as well.
1. Chapter One: The Deal

**I kind of knew what was coming in the season 5 MSF, but I was in denial. I was hoping they'd throw in a plot twist and catch me completely off guard. Alas, they didn't and poor Beth is gone. She really stood out in season 4 and I was hoping that meant they'd have a lot in store for her, especially in regards to Daryl. I know there's an age difference, but it's the zombie apocalypse, I think it would have been a non-issue. Instead, the gave her air time to make you love her only to rip her from you! Anyways, this is my version of what I would have liked to see happen. Hope you enjoy.**

Daryl didn't know what Beth was thinkin', stabbin' that officer while a loaded gun was still in her hand. He hadn't even known that Beth had scissors on her to begin with.

All Daryl knew was that his heart dropped into his stomach the moment he heard that shot fired.

In that moment it was chaos. Beth's left shoulder jerked back and she cried out in pain as Dawn's bullet made contact. She dropped to her knees and fell over limp.

Daryl felt like all the air had been sucked out of the room the moment Beth hit the floor, unconscious. His chest hurt and he couldn't think straight.

That insane cop was stammering something about not meaning to shoot but Daryl didn't care what excuses she made. He was seeing red.

Before he even thought it through, he pulled his gun and shot the woman right in the head. She fell backwards, landing with a hard thud.

Everyone drew their guns, ready to end this sham of an agreement, until Officer Shepherd spoke up.

"Hold your fire! This was about her. It's over now."

Her officers looked hesitant but they lowered their guns, giving Daryl the opportunity to go to Beth. Her shoulder was already soaked in blood and she looked paler than usual.

"You can stay with us," he heard Shepherd saying. "We're surviving here. It's better than out there."

"No, we'll take our chances out there" Rick said firmly. " But you're gonna help Beth right now and we'll be on our way with anyone who wants to join us."

Daryl gently lifted Beth into his arms and nodded towards the Doctor.

"What you waitin' on Doc? Get over here and fix her now!" Daryl growled.

The nervous looking Doctor ambled forward, motioning the group into a nearby room.

Beth came to as the Doctor began to retrieve the bullet in her arm. Her screams almost made Daryl come undone. The look of pain on her face, the tears streaming down her cheeks, the way she gripped his hand was all too much.

"Can't you give her something?" Daryl demanded.

"We're out of meds that strong. I can give her an over the counter pain pill when it's done, but she's just gonna have to tough this out."

Daryl squeezed her hand, forcing her to look at him.

"Look at me Beth. Just look at me. He's almost got it. You're tough, it's gonna be okay. You can handle this." he assured her. She tried to stifle her screaming, only grunting and wincing as the doctor prodder around in her shoulder, always keeping her eyes on Daryl.

"Got it!" the doctor sighed as he pulled the small bullet out. He set it aside and began cleaning Beth's wound. He quickly stitched the hole up and wrapped it tightly in clean, white gauze.

He offered Beth two pain pills and some water, which she didn't hesitate to swallow. Her face was pale and covered in a cold sweat and she looked exhausted. Daryl pushed the damp strands of hair out of her face and gave a half smile. She smiled weakly back, taking Daryl's hand in her own, before closing her eyes.

Daryl carried her out of the hospital, noticing how feather light she was in his arms.

She slept all the way to the police car they abducted as well as the entire trip back to the church.

Pulling up to their temporary home, Daryl saw a fire truck parked by the edge of the woods. The whole group was out front, including the ones that had left for D.C. He half heartedly wondered if something had gone wrong, causing them to turn back, but everyone was accounted for so he figured they could discuss that later.

Right now Beth was his main priority. As everyone stepped out of the cop car, Beth's eyes fluttered open,

"Daryl?" she murmured. She tried to sit up but Daryl lightly grabbed her good arm, stilling her.

"Careful. Your arm's in a sling. That shoulder's gonna be sore for a while so you need to take it easy."

She nodded weakly. "Where are we?"

"We're home."


	2. Chapter Two: Missed You

**Thanks to everyone who followed/favorited/reviewed my first chapter! I really appreciate it! Just a side note that I'll probably switch back and forth between Beth and Daryl's POV, so heads up for that! Hope y'all enjoy! :)**

Beth stepped carefully out of the car, leaning into Daryl for support. She still felt dizzy from her earlier fall.  
Everyone in front of the church stopped what they were doing and looked in her direction. Beth couldn't believe it; her group had somehow found each other again. Carl stood next to Michonne, baby Judith held tightly in his arms. Glenn and Maggie stood among several people Beth didn't recognize, but who all looked as happy to see her as if they'd known her their whole lives.  
She felt her emotions welling up inside her, threatening to overwhelm her. Tears fell hot and wet down her face as her sister ran to her. Beth stepped away from Daryl, reaching out her uninjured arm to wrap Maggie in a tight embrace. Maggie was sobbing into Beth's right shoulder as Glenn came up and wrapped both sisters in a hug.  
Everyone else came forward then to welcome her back or, in the newcomers' case, introduce themselves.  
Beth couldn't stop smiling. She had held out hope that her family had all made it out of the prison alive. She had even believed that maybe they could somehow find each other again. But when she woke up in that hospital, she accepted that she may never be part of that equation. This was more than she could have ever hoped for.  
Maggie ushered Beth inside, insisting that she and Carol both needed a bite to eat and to relax.  
As she enjoyed a can of apple pie filling, she listened to everything that had happened to the group since the prison. Beth's stomach turned when she heard about what the Terminus people did to those they captured, which unfortunately included Bob. She looked to Sasha and saw the grief that filled her face at the mention of Bob; she felt terrible for her. She had found someone who made her happy in this bleak and terrible world only to have him snatched away from her in an instant. And not even by walkers. . . by people.  
She silently looked to Daryl then. She could see why he found it hard to believe there were still good people out there.

He couldn't sleep. Beth and Carol were back safe and sound, the whole group together again, and yet Daryl could not relax enough to fall asleep.  
Instead he offered to relieve Michonne from her watch.  
The night was quiet and the moon was full, casting a faint glow on the steps of the church. It reminded him of his and Beth's night at the moonshiner's cabin. She had told him that she'd be gone someday. That he'd miss her so bad when she was gone. His chest tightened uncomfortably at the thought.  
If that bullet had strayed to the left any, Beth might not be with them tonight. He did miss her when she was gone, but he couldn't fathom how much worse it'd be if she had been killed.  
As if she knew he had been thinking about her, Beth appeared behind him on the porch, easing the large church doors shut behind her.  
"Hey." Beth sat down so close to him their knees were touching.  
"Couldn't sleep?"  
"Nope, kinda restless. Plus I think my bandages need changin'. You mind?" She asked, holding out some gauze she'd brought with her.  
Daryl nodded, setting his crossbow aside and taking the gauze from her. Beth flashed him a smile before slipping her entire arm out of her sleeve.  
Daryl felt his face warm up at the sight of her exposed shoulder; except for the stitches, her skin was smooth and perfect. He felt an incredible urge to reach down and kiss the spot where shoulder met neck. He quickly shook the thought away though, internally scolding himself for even thinkin' something like that while Beth sat there, injured.  
She raised her eyebrows in question at Daryl's hesitation. He cleared his throat and set to work wrapping her shoulder up.  
"Thanks." she murmured as he helped her ease her arm back into her sleeve.  
"Mmhmm."  
They fell into a comfortable silence. Beth scooted in closer to Daryl and rested her head on his shoulder. He'd always been uncomfortable with physical affection of any kind; hell, he never got any when he was a kid. But with Beth it felt so natural.  
He rested his head on top of hers, letting out a heavy sigh. She weaved her fingers through his, running her thumb idly up and down the back of his hand.  
"You were right." he whispered suddenly.  
Beth raised her head to look at him. "Bout what?"  
Daryl never was good with words. He usually let his actions speak for him, or avoided expressing his emotions altogether. But he could've lost Beth today and he knew he'd regret it if he didn't let her know what he was thinking right then.  
"I missed you when you were gone. I missed you real bad."  
He lowered his eyes, unable to look at her directly as he said it. She placed her hand under his chin and gently tilted his head up so that he would look at her. Her eyes were bright and she was smiling.  
"I missed you too Daryl Dixon." she whispered as she leaned in, gently pressing her lips to his.


	3. Chapter Three: Ain

**Okay so I tried posting this chapter yesterday from my iPad and it jumbled it all up in code, so sorry if you saw that! Thanks to everyone who messaged/commented to let me know it posted funky! Hopefully you can see this now. Some more fluff. I'll try to start adding a little more momentum to upcoming chapters, just kind of keeping the first few chapters calm and letting Daryl and Beth get used to transitioning into a more romantic relationship. Thanks for reading, hope you're all enjoying!**

Beth wasn't sure if it was her near-death experience fueling her bravery or the feelings that had overcome her when Daryl confessed he'd missed her, but her lips were on his and she wasn't pulling away until he reacted one way or another.

He held still under her touch for a moment, almost as if he was unsure what to do. But then she felt him kiss her back, his hand coming up to gently cup her cheek, his thumb lightly tracing the scar there. His beard tickled her face and he smelled faintly of tobacco, but she loved it. His lips were warm and surprisingly soft and she knew she could easily become addicted to them.

He pulled away first, resting his forehead against hers.

"Beth," he mumbled, his tone unsure. "I'm twice your age."

"Doesn't matter." she insisted.

"Well, you're not stuck with me ya know. A girl like you . . . you'd still have options."

Beth pulled away from him, slightly hurt.

"That's what you think? That I'm just settling for you?"

He avoided her gaze once again. "I just don't see why you'd want someone like me. What would your daddy say if he could see you with me?"

She rolled her eyes, aggravated that Daryl couldn't see all the positives in himself.

"You're a good man, Daryl. I'm not _settling_ for you, I _want_ to be with you. I thought of you every single day in that hospital. I never thought I'd see you again. And now that I'm back, I'm not gonna just keep my feelin's to myself because of what others may think! My daddy knew you were good and he trusted you. I think he'd be happy. And I think our group will be happy for us too once they get used to the idea."

Daryl stayed silent, staring off into the dark woods. She knew he was other thinking this and she just wanted to make him stop.

"You told me you weren't afraid of nothin' . . . but I think you're scared of gettin' too close to someone. Don't push me away again."

She leaned into him again, pulling his face towards hers. He stared at her, his dark blue eyes filled with an intensity she hadn't seen in him since the night she was taken.

"We don't have to tell anyone until you're ready."

He nodded slightly and leaned in to kiss her again. He ran one hand down her back, stopping just above her hip, while burying his other hand in her hair, pulling her closer to him. She wrapped her good arm around his neck, tangling her fingers in his long, shaggy hair. The kiss lasted longer than the first time, but was still gently and shy. He pulled away first once again and smirked at her.

"Not keepin' very good watch with you distractin' me, Greene."

Beth laughed and gave Daryl one last quick kiss.

"Sorry Mr. Dixon, I'll behave."


	4. Chapter 4: Obvious

**Okay so I was going to make this chapter longer, going from Beth's POV to something else from Daryl's POV, but I am just not happy with what I'm writing for Daryl's POV just yet. I don't wanna post it just to make a chapter longer when I know it's very weak writing. That being said, this chapter is fairly short and still fluff. I intend to have some action in the next chapter, that's why I'm taking my time writing it...I'm better at fluff than action at the moment! Anyways, thanks for reading, reviewing, following. It makes my heart happy to see people enjoying my story! **

The van rumbled slowly down the bumpy back road, the firetruck following close behind. It had been a month since Beth and Carol's return and both women were well enough to travel again, so everyone had loaded up and hit the road a few days ago.

That man, Eugene, had led everyone to believe he had a cure if only he could get to D.C. That turned out to be a lie. But Rick, Abraham, Glenn, and Daryl had decided that trying their luck up north might be worth a shot anyways.

They had been lucky to have so many supplies left over from a run to a food bank to take with them, and even luckier to keep finding gas to fuel their two large vehicles. Beth figured their luck might run out at some point and they'd have to continue on foot, but she was enjoying the ride while it lasted.

Rick was driving while Michonne rode shotgun, her arm dangling out the open window. Carl and Carol had the next row of seats, Judith buckled in safely between them. Maggie and Glenn sat behind them while Beth and Daryl had claimed the last row. Everyone else had ended up in the firetruck.

Daryl was currently sleeping, his head rolled back and arms crossed over his chest. Hoping to get a little sleep too, Beth leaned over and rested her head on Daryl's shoulder.

She was glad she could be comfortable with him like this now. She'd started showing her affection for him in front of the group little by little. A couple weeks ago she started resting her hand on his knee during meal times. He had been on edge, worrying someone would say something about it, but no one did.

So Beth started keeping him company during his watch. She'd sidle up to him and wrap her arm through his, leaning into his side. She'd even held his hand in front of the others on occasion. No one ever mentioned it so Beth figured they had to have some idea of what was going on. The only person that had even looked slightly perplexed by her and Daryl's unspoken bond was Carol . . .

Her eyes had only been closed a few moments when she heard Maggie clear her throat somewhat obviously, interrupting Beth's thoughts.

Beth opened her eyes to see her sister turned around in her seat to face her, her eyebrows raised in a curious express.

"What?" Beth whispered, not wanting to wake Daryl. When he wasn't out on a run or hunting he was on watch and got very little sleep.

"Been meaning to ask you what all this is about?" she whispered back, nodding towards Daryl.

Beth rolled her eyes. "And you picked now to ask me?"

Maggie just sat there looking at Beth expectantly. Beth shrugged, not sure what to say. Her sister huffed and motioned with her finger for Beth to sit up closer to her.

"Bethy, I think everyone already knows."

Beth sighed. "I figured as much honestly, but no one's mentioned it. You're okay with it?"

Maggie shrugged. "He's a little older but it's pretty clear how much you mean to him. Who am I to say y'all shouldn't be together? I want you to be happy, Beth. Does he make you happy?"

Beth nodded, a smile forming on her lips.

"Well then, I'm okay with it." Maggie replied matter-of-factly.

Beth felt relief flood through her. She was going to be with Daryl either way, but she was beyond ecstatic that her sister hadn't given her any grief about it.

Maggie turned back to Glenn, leaving Beth to get some rest.

Beth once again snuggled up against Daryl's side, getting comfortable. He mumbled in his sleep as she adjusted her head against his shoulder, but didn't wake. She couldn't wait to make camp for the night so she could find some alone time with Daryl to tell him about what Maggie had said.

And with that thought in mind, she drifted off to sleep.


	5. Chapter 5: Won't Lose You

Daryl sat on the front steps, the bolt he had been working on currently forgotten in his lap. Beth, Carol, and Maggie were on the porch, piling clothing into boxes to carry to a nearby stream to wash, all three talking a mile a minute.

Daryl smiled to himself, watching Beth joke and laugh and talk with the other two women; when Beth had been taken, her laugh was something he had sorely missed.

He silently watched her load up her box, her blonde hair bobbing along her shoulders with each move she made. She was smiling at something Maggie had said, a smile that practically lit up her eyes.

She looked up suddenly and caught him staring, a warm expression forming in her eyes; she giggled as she approached him, box in hand.

"Need anything washed?"

He looked down at his clothes; they had faint blood and sweat stains along with plenty of dirt and grime. They needed a good scrubbing but he didn't have anything to change into at the moment and he did not intend to sit around half naked while Beth washed them.

"Nah, I'll clean up later today."

"Suit yourself!" she replied lightly, readjusting the large box in her arms.

She winked at him before turning to fall into step behind Maggie and Carol; he watched as she walked into the woods, until he couldn't see her anymore.

"I know the feeling'." a voice came from behind, startling him.

"Not a good idea to sneak up on people these days unless you're lookin' to get shot . . . and what feeling'?" Daryl asked, turning to see Glenn leaned against the railing beside him.

Glenn grinned as he nodded in the direction the girls had just walked.

"Those Greene girls. Just something about them."

Daryl still wasn't used to people openly acknowledging what he and Beth had become. He never knew what to say, so he just shrugged it off.

"I'm glad we got her back." Glenn continued. "Not just for Maggie's sake."

"Me too," Daryl quietly replied.

Daryl placed his newly made bold with the others on his crossbow; he rose to his feet, standing next to Glenn.

"Thinkin' maybe we should ask Rick if we need a run for fuel soon. Might be headin' out in a day or two."

Glenn nodded in agreement. "Yeah we probably should . . ."

Glenn's words were interrupted as two loud shots rang out from the woods. Daryl and Glenn jumped from the porch immediately, taking off in a full sprint towards the sound. Daryl knew that Carol and Maggie both had guns on them, but they wouldn't use them unless it was necessary; too much noise could draw in walkers.

Daryl ran as fast as he could, his lungs screaming for more air, his legs burning with every step, but he pushed on. He forced himself to keep going full speed until they finally came to the stream, stopping out of sight to see what they might be up against, walker or human.

He peered around the tree, taking in the scene. A man was lying dead just beside the water, one bullet hole in his chest and another in his head. Four other men were standing nearby, three of them holding back one woman each, while the fourth man took their weapons.

Daryl watched as the man took Beth's knife from her hip and tossed it aside before walking to Carol for the gun still strapped to her hip.

The guy that had Beth trapped in his arms said something in her ear that made her struggle against him; he tightened his grip on her with one arm and brought his free hand up to catch a lock of her hair, pulling it to his nose and inhaling deeply. The sight made Daryl's blood boil. He wanted nothing more than to break every filthy finger that man laid on Beth.

The strangers holding the women hostage didn't appear to be armed and they hadn't even bothered to pick up Carol, Maggie, and Beth's discarded weapons. That was a stupid move on their part.

Daryl knew they needed to act fast before the stupid S.O.B's could do any harm to their girls. He raised his bow and aimed at the man that was now pacing in front of Carol; as soon as he stepped away from her, Daryl pulled the trigger, sending a bolt right into the guy's head.

"Jake!" the one holding Maggie yelled in shock.

The remaining three men turned in his and Glenn's direction, searching the tree line for the source of the deadly bolt.

"Show yourself!" Carol's captor called out.

Glenn and Daryl stepped forward slowly, weapons raised.

"Let 'em go." Daryl called back, never taking his eyes from the man holding Beth. He was about the same height as Daryl but with a much stouter build. He had coarse black hair that fell over his beady grey eyes and he was looking Glenn and Daryl over with a mocking smile as he pulled Beth back against him, blocking any shot Daryl might take.

"Aw lookie here Alex." The one holding Carol called. "Looks like yours is spoken for."

Alex smirked and smugly planted a kiss on Beth's neck.

"I think you're right Davie." He smirked, his lips right against Beth's ear. "Is this your fella, sweetheart?"

Beth tried pulling her face away from Alex's, but it was no use.

The other two men were laughing, distracted by Alex's taunting, when Carol made a move. She was able to turn enough in Davie's arms to knee him in the groin, pulling away as his grip slackened. Glenn saw his opportunity and took his shot, hitting the man directly between the eyes.

In all the commotion, Maggie acted fast as well; she bit down hard on the arm of the man holding her. He turned her around and backhanded her hard across the face. She fell to the ground and another gunshot sounded, this time from Carol, who had reached her gun by the stream.

Only Alex was left and all weapons were trained on him. He had no way to defend himself and he was outnumbered, so he pushed Beth away from him and took off full speed in the opposite direction.

"I got this." Daryl spit, taking off after the coward. Alex kept looking back, tripping himself up on the rough forest floor in the process. Daryl caught up easily, bringing the butt of his bow down hard across Alex's back. Alex fell but Daryl dropped his crossbow to pick the man up, bringing his closed fist down on his face as hard as he could.

He was able to get in several punches before Alex could break free to fight back. Alex's fist made contact with Daryl's face, sending a shock through his entire jaw, stinging and burning. He landed another right under Daryl's eye; Daryl could feel the warm blood trickling from the cut that must have been made.

Daryl dodged the next few swings, landing his own in Alex's ribcage. The man grunted with each hit he took, but he wasn't quitting. He got Daryl in the chest and ribs as well, his bony knuckles bruising Daryl's skin on contact.

Daryl landed one blow that was so hard it caused Alex to stumble back, tangling his feet over a tree root that brought him to his knees. Daryl kicked him square in the chest before he could get the opportunity to rise, knocking him flat on his back with a hard thud. He quickly straddled Alex's chest, pinning his arms down with his knees. He let loose all his rage then, throwing punch after punch after punch.

Alex's face was transforming into a swollen purple lump under Daryl's fists, yet Daryl could not bring himself to stop. Every image of Alex's grimy hands on Beth, his lips on her neck, his arms tightly restraining her, flashed through Daryl's mind, fueling his anger and pushing him on.

He kept on even after the man trapped under him went limp, each punch releasing the anger that had built up inside him. It wasn't until he heard Beth calling his name and felt her small hands shaking his shoulders that he could finally stop his assault.

He turned in her arms and looked at her. His face felt swollen and blood was still seeping from the gash under his eye. His ribs ached with every breath he took and his knuckles were scraped and bruised. Sweat from exertion made his hair stick to his brow, dripping into his eyes and blurring his vision. He knew he must look like a nightmare.

But Beth was looking at him as if he was the best thing in the world as she fell into his arms. She sobbed against his chest, her small frame trembling in his arms.

"I'm sorry you had to see that Bethy." he whispered in her ear, worried he may have frightened her.

She pulled back to look at him, eyes glazed over with tears. "Don't you ever be sorry for protecting me Daryl Dixon. I thought I was gonna be taken from you again."

He leaned down and kissed her lips tenderly, not caring if the others saw or not.

"No," he whispered in her ear. "I can't lose you again Beth. I will _never_ lose you again."


	6. Chapter 6: Calm

**Work and Christmas preparations have kept me from updating for a while. So here's chapter 6, I hope it isn't a let down. No real action here. This probably won't be a very long fic. Maybe a couple more chapters to wrap it up. It's my first fic so I don't wanna get too ambitious my first go-round. I have a one shot (or maybe even 2 shot) in mind that I wanna work on next! Anyways, hope you enjoy and as always thanks for all the follows/favs/reviews! It means the world to me, really! **

Something about the outdoors had always managed to comfort him. Maybe it was from Daryl's childhood of hunting with his brother, the only time he felt truly safe; he wasn't sure. All he knew for certain was that the calm and quiet that came from the woods never failed to help ease his mind.

Being cooped up in the old general store another night was not helping his lingering anger. Instead of feeling comforted by the safety of four walls and a roof, he felt suffocated. He needed space, just for a few minutes, just to try and clear his head.

He'd found the stairs that led to the roof access easily and was relieved to find the hatch unlocked.

Night had fallen and the air was cold, but Daryl didn't care. He laid down on his back, staring up at the stars that peppered the black sky, and exhaled deeply.

He could've lost Beth again. The thought had his stomach twisting into knots. Not only could he have lost her, but a man had had his filthy hands on her, threatening to hurt her. Seeing that man kiss her neck and whisper in her ear while Beth struggled to break free had made Daryl's blood boil. He hadn't meant for Beth to see him like that . . . when he had caught that man . . . to see him completely lose control as he beat the guy bloody. But he couldn't help the rage that had consumed him at seeing her in danger, trapped in the arms of some creep.

She had insisted she was fine now. That nothing had happened thanks to him and Glenn. That she wasn't scared or worried by Daryl's reaction. He believed her, but that still didn't fix his dark mood.

Daryl had been on the roof a long while when he heard the hatch creak open behind him. He knew it'd be her without even looking up.

Beth lay down next to him, snuggling up close to rest her head in the crook of his arm. She didn't say anything though. She only sat silently tracing a pattern lightly across his chest with her fingers.

He sighed out deeply and stilled her hand with his own.

"You sure you're okay Beth?" His voice was laced with all the worry he'd been building up inside since earlier that day.

"Daryl, I'm fine. I promise. It was scary, yeah, but nothing actually happened. You got to me in time and I'm okay." Her tone was so steady and confident that it managed to ease some of Daryl's anxiety.

His short nod was his only reply. He was still lost in the 'what-ifs' of the day.

What if he had been inside when the gun went off? No one would've heard it and Beth, Maggie, and Carol would have been on their own, outnumbered and disarmed. What if Daryl and Glenn hadn't gotten lucky and been able to take those men down? They would've dragged those women back to whatever camp they had; probably would've forced themselves on them. The thought made Daryl shudder.

Beth tightened her grip on him and sighed. Her hold on him brought him back to the present, anchoring him to reality. And the reality was that she was here with him now and that was what mattered. He could lose her anytime. Or maybe she'd even lose him in the end. Nothing in this world was certain, but Daryl was sure of one thing; he'd never felt anything as strongly as he felt for the girl in his arms right now.

He leaned up onto his side, hovering slightly over Beth. She looked up at him in mild surprise at his sudden shift in position, one that brought his face almost touching hers; her blue eyes were wide with curiosity and something else . . . something warm and wanting.

Daryl studied her face for only a moment before bringing his lips down hard onto hers. She sighed against his lips and wrapped her arms around his middle, pulling more of his weight down onto her. He was using one arm to support himself over her, but ran his free hand up her side; her shirt had risen slightly and he rested his hand against the soft exposed skin of her hip. He'd never felt anything so smooth and perfect in his life.

It briefly crossed his mind that maybe it wasn't right to kiss her like that after some stranger had tried to grope at her earlier that same day. That maybe she would feel vulnerable and used. The thought had him pulling back slightly, breaking their kiss.

She huffed as he pulled back, her eyes disappointed at his sudden distance.

"Daryl, what...?" she began.

"Some perv was all over you this mornin'. I shouldn't be pushin' you like this . . ."

Beth's eyes softened and she reached up to lightly stroke his cheek.

"This is different Daryl. You're not pushin' me and you're not takin' advantage. You make me feel safe. I want you to have your hands on me. I want you to kiss me." Her voice was soft and shy, her cheeks flushing pink as she said it.

"You're sure?" he had to ask at least once more.

She nodded and pulled his face down to hers, resuming the kiss softly. He kissed her back, opening his mouth to deepen the kiss. She willingly followed his lead, tracing his lower lip with her tongue. His tongue explored hers and he groaned into her mouth. He'd never kissed her this intensely before and his head was swimming. His whole body was heating up and his breathing was becoming heavier.

Beth ran her hands up under the back of his shirt, tracing the scars he knew she'd already seen. They hadn't really discussed it yet, but Beth didn't judge. She accepted him as he was and he knew it, so he let her continue to run her hands all over his back. It felt like she was leaving trails of fire everywhere her fingers touched his bare skin.

Daryl tangled one hand in her hair, pulling her face up to his, like he couldn't get her close enough. He let his other hand wander further up her shirt, resting on her delicate little ribcage; he could feel how fast her breaths were coming, almost frantic like his own.

He moved his face from hers, bringing his lips instead to her neck and collarbone. He planted warm kisses along her shoulder, stopping only to lick a light trail up her neck to her earlobe. She moaned against him and he thought he was going to come undone.

Instead he pulled back to rest his forehead against hers.

"Beth," he panted. "I think we should stop. . ."

She nodded shakily, her eyes dark and intense as she stared up at him.

"You're probably right. . . should . . . slow down." she murmured, trying to slow her breathing.

He gave her one last light kiss. Her lips were hot and swollen. It made him smile against her.

"What?" she asked, smiling.

" 's nothin'."

"C'mon now Daryl, after _that_ you shouldn't be shy about _talking _to me." she laughed.

He smiled back her but he felt nervous all of a sudden. He felt like all the moisture had suddenly left his mouth and he cleared his throat in an attempt to speak. He had been afraid to voice what he thought he'd been feeling for a while now; afraid Beth might reject him. Might not want him like he wanted her. But the look in her eyes said it all and he felt calm at last.

"I love you, Beth." he whispered.

She didn't speak immediately. Her eyes widened in what he guessed was surprise. Then she smiled the biggest smile he'd ever seen; she leaned up and kissed him.

"I love you too, Daryl. Very much so."


	7. Chapter 7: Just the Beginning

**Happy New Year everyone! So it's been a while, I haven't had much time to write lately. I have decided this will be my last chapter for this story. ****It will be set a few months after the last chapter. **** I wanted to wrap it up nicely and I hope it does just that. I'm sorry it won't be longer. I didn't want to force the story to be longer. I have other short stories in mind though so I'll get to those next. I hope everyone enjoyed reading and I appreciate all the love shown. Enjoy!**

Beth woke in his arms, the sunlight just beginning to filter into their room.

_Their room._ It still felt odd being able to call something their own. To have something permanent.

When the group was first recruited to this place, this . . . safe-zone. . . Beth and the others had been suspicious to say the least. They had insisted on being boarded all together, no matter how tight the quarters. Rick had also insisted they be allowed to keep their own weapons.

Both requests had been met with no objections, but everyone had still been on pins and needles about the place. They had been tricked before and did not intend to let that happen again.

Gradually though, they began to get comfortable. Days turned into weeks and weeks into months. They all found roles in the mini-society easily enough. Security, cooking, hunting, childcare . . . there was something for everyone.

They even accepted the offer to have individual housing finally.

Rick, Carl, Judith, and Michonne were given a small town home. Carl was ecstatic to have his own personal space again and had already plastered the walls with what posters he could find and littered the floor in comics.

The town home next to them was given to Glenn and Maggie. Maggie had wanted Beth to join them, had offered several times in fact. Beth had kindly declined, instead taking the next town house over with Daryl. She could have her own home but still be close to her family, so it suited her just fine.

Everyone else had ended up in apartments the next street over. It felt strange, not seeing their little family every waking moment anymore. They found ways to make up for it though; they shared every meal together that they could and visited each others new homes often.

It was still odd to Beth, having her own little home. But waking up to Daryl every morning and falling asleep next to him each night comforted and thrilled her. It was a steadiness she had sorely missed and something Daryl had been searching for his entire life.

She looked over at his sleeping form beside her and felt a warm, peaceful feeling wash over her. The way he was sleeping so deeply filled Beth with joy; they had found a place that offered some stability and safety. A place where you could actually sleep through the night without waking in fear. A place with like-minded, _good _people.

No more running. No more hiding.

The Alexandria Safe-Zone had strong walls enclosing them and more than enough manpower to protect those walls. They weren't even close to short on supplies and had even taken to growing their own produce. They had small school systems in place and the beginnings of a medical clinic. Everyone had a purpose here and everyone had the same goal. To live, actually _live_, not just survive.

Beth snuggled in closer to Daryl, breathing in his scent. She didn't want to wake him, but couldn't resist the urge to lean in and kiss him. His blue eyes blinked slowly open and he smiled sleepily at her. He smiled a lot more these days, she'd noticed.

"Mornin'," he yawned, stretching out beside her.

"Good morning'." she replied with a smile.

"You been watchin' me sleep?" he grumbled. His voice was still gruff with sleep.

She shrugged playfully. "Maybe."

He grinned and pulled her in snuggly to his chest. She sighed as she rested her head in the crook of his arm, nuzzling her face into his warm side. He slowly traced his fingers up and down her back and she melted into his touch.

"Need to get up soon. Got guard duty today.'

Beth nodded against him. She had to help in the kitchens while he had watch, but the soft bed and Daryl's warm skin under her fingertips begged her to stay a little longer.

"We have time." She murmured.

And for once, since the prison anyways, that was true.


End file.
